Compound machining apparatus

ABSTRACT

A compound machining apparatus in which a punch press and a movable table device are provided on separate frames, respectively, and a laser oscillator, a laser beam machining head and a tube for guiding a laser beam from the laser oscillator to the laser beam machining head are collectively placed on the same frame as the frame of the movable table device.

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.07/239,218, filed August 31, 1988 U.S. Pat. No. 4,833,292.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention:

The present invention relates to a compound machining apparatus forperforming a laser beam machining operation.

2. Description of the Related Art:

In the past, in a compound machining apparatus for performing a punchmachining and a laser beam machining, a laser oscillator has beensupported resiliently on the frame because vibrations during workingcaused by the punch machining head are transmitted to the laseroscillator to give rise to a deviation in optical axis and a trouble ofthe oscillator. More specifically, a linear bearing, an air spring andthe like are interposed between the frame and the laser oscillator.

In the type as described above, the resilient members are providedbetween the frame and the laser oscillator to damp the ,shock duringpunching. However, if the punching machine and the laser oscillator areplaced on one and the same frame, strong shocks are inevitablytransmitted to the laser oscillator when a thick work is punched. Inview of this, if the laser oscillator is entirely independently andseparately installed in order to avoid the strong shock, a laser opticalsystem such as a tube for guiding a laser beam from a laser oscillatorto a laser beam machining head need be finely adjusted, resulting in anextremely difficult work.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a compound machiningapparatus which is constructed such that a strong shock is nottransmitted to a laser oscillator when a work is punched.

According to the present invention, the punch press and the movabletable device are provided on separate frames, respectively, and thelaser oscillator, the laser beam machining head and the tube for guidinga laser beam from the laser oscillator to the laser beam machining headare collectively placed on the same frame as the frame of the movabletable device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description of the invention will be made with referencedto the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designatecorresponding parts in the several Figures.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a compound machining apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 plan view of a laser oscillator;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV--IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 an enlarged view of a laser machining head;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the lower end of themachining head of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a compound machining apparat to anotherembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplatedmode of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be takenin a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustratingthe general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention isbest defined by the appended claims.

An embodiment will be described hereinafter with reference to thedrawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a plan view and a side view, respectively, of acompound machining apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentinvention and FIGS. 7 and 8 are a plan view and a side view,respectively, of a compound machining apparatus according to anotherembodiment. Frames 3 and 4 for a punch press 1 and a movable tabledevice 2, respectively, are mounted opposedly to each other. Both theframes 3 and 4 are close to each other but are separated from each otherso as not to transmit vibrations resulting therefrom to either frame.

The punch press 1 is composed of the frame 3, a number of punchesmounted within the frame 3, a pair of upper and lower turrets 5 eachhaving a die received therein, a cover 6 for the turret, and a numericalcontrol device 28. Numeral 7 denotes a punch machining head.

The movable device 2 movably supports a work sheet W within a plane tobring a suitable position of the work sheet W to a position of the punchmachining head 7 and to that of a laser beam machining head 8.

More specifically, the movable table device 2 is composed of left andright tables 9 and 10 movable in a direction of X in the figures, afixed table 11 between the left and right tables 9 and 10, a carriage 12moving in a direction of X integral with the left and right tables 9 and10, and a work holder 13 provided on the carriage 12 and moving in adirection of X in the figures. Numeral 14 denotes a motor for moving thework holder 13 through a ball thread not shown. The work sheet W is heldat one side by the work holder 13 and moved laterally and vertically onthe tables 9, 10 and 11. Numeral 15 denotes a rolling ball to provide asmooth movement of the work sheet W on the tables 9 and 10, and numeral16 denotes a cable duct for feeding an electricity, a signal and thelike to the movable table device 2.

A laser oscillator 17 is placed on the same frame 4 as that of themovable table device 2 so that a laser beam issued from the laseroscillator 17 passes through a guide tube 18, reaches the laser beammachining head 8 provided in the vicinity of the punch machining head 7,and is condensed by a lens 31, after which it is irradiated on the worksheet W. A laser frame 19 supporting the laser beam machining head 8 andhousing therein the guide tube 18 is not at all in contact with theframe 3 of the punch press 1. The laser beam machining head 8 and thepunch machining head 7 are arranged on the same line in the direction ofY.

Next, a method of mounting the laser oscillator 17 to the frame 4 of themovable table device 2 will described.

That is, four shafts 20 are projectingly provided from the lower surfaceof the laser oscillator 2 toward vertical and downward portion, theshafts 20 being inserted into linear bearings 21 provided on the frame 4and supported movably up and down, and a flange portion 22 at the end ofthe shaft 20 and an upper end surface 23 of the linear bearing 21 areworked into an accurate plane so that when both the elements 22 and 23are placed in close contact, the laser oscillator 17 assumes an accuratehorizontal attitude.

On the side of the shaft 20 are provided an air spring 24 which isexpanded by feed and discharge of air between the bottom surface of thelaser oscillator 17 and the frame 4 and a fluid cylinder 27 formed witha flange portion 26 at the end of a rod 25 extending through the frame 4so that when the fluid cylinder 27 is extended and pressure air issupplied from a source of air not shown to the air spring 24, the airspring 24 is expanded to resiliently raise the laser oscillator 17 tomove the flange portion 22 at the end of the shaft 20 away from theupper surface 23 of the linear bearing 21, whereas when air is exhaustedfrom the air spring 24 to shorten the latter and the fluid cylinder 27is contracted, the flange portion 26 at the end of the rod 25 comes intostrong engagement with the lower surface of the frame 4 to lock thelaser oscillator 17 to a fixed position with respect to the frame 4.

As described above, the laser oscillator 17 is mounted on the frame 4 bymeans of the linear bearing 21, the air spring 24 and the like, andtherefore, the vibration of the movable table device 2 is nottransmitted to the laser oscillator 17.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the laser oscillator 17 is arrangedwith its longest side substantially parallel to the direction X. In theembodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, however, the laser oscillator 17 and thecasing of the laser oscillator 17 are arranged with their longest sidessubstantially parallel to the direction Y, perpendicular to the movementof the tables 9 and 10. In the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8, thearrangement of the laser oscillator 17, substantially parallel to thedirection Y, reduces the space requirement of the compound machiningapparatus. Thus, the apparatus shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 can operate in arelatively small space or area.

Next, the laser beam machining head 8 will be described.

The laser beam machining head 8 is composed of a vertical guide tube 30for vertically guiding a laser beam refracted at right angles anddownwardly by a mirror 29 provided on the front end of the guide tube19, a focusing device 32 retaining a lens 31 at the lower end of thevertical guide tube 30, and a supporting device 33 for verticallymovably supporting front portions of the focusing device 32, verticalguide tube 30 and guide tube 18.

The supporting device 33 is composed of a support frame 35 secured andconnected at 34 to both the guide tubes 18 and 30, a guide shaft 37vertically extending through a sleeve 36 projected from the supportframe 35 sideways, a spring 38 retained on the upper end of the guideshaft 37 to gently and downwardly urge the support frame 35, and asupport frame raising air cylinder 41 with a rod 40 thereof connected toa block portion 39 projected from the back of the support frame 35, sothat a downward component obtained by adding the bias of the spring 38to the own weight of the vertical guide tube 30 and the focusing device32 is balanced with an upward component caused by the air cylinder 41 toresiliently support both the guide tubes 18 and 30 and the focusingdevice 32 in a space. Numeral 42 designates a bracket for securing theguide shaft 37 to the laser frame 19, and a body of the air cylinder 41is secured to the back of the bracket 42.

Numeral 43 denotes a vertical slot bored in the back plate of thebracket 42. The block portion 39 rearwardly extends through the slot 43,the lower surface of the block portion 39 and the bottom of the slot 43being worked into a precise contact surface so that when the aircylinder 41 is contracted, the aforesaid two contact surfaces areseparated and the guide tubes 18 and 30 and the focusing device 32 areresiliently supported in the space as previously mentioned, whereas whenthe air cylinder 41 is extended, the two contact surfaces come intoclose contact with each other and the guide tubes 18 and 30 and thefocusing device 32 can be positioned to a fixed position with respect tothe laser frame 19.

Next, the focusing device 32 will be described.

A large diameter tapped hole 47 is formed in a block 46 having a nozzle44 at the lowermost end of the machining head 8 and a nozzle holder 45adjustably secured thereto, and a lens holder 48 with a lens 31 fittedherein is threadedly mounted within the tapped hole 47, whereby when thelens 31 is cleaned or checked, such work can be done by removing thelens holder from the top without removing the nozzle 44 and the nozzleholder 45. Numeral 49 denotes as assist gas introducing hole formed inthe flange portion of the nozzle holder 45, the hole 49 being openedtoward the obliquely and upwardly located lens 31 surface, and when thegas is introduced, the gas once impinges upon the lens 31 surface and isinjected from the nozzle 44 to the work sheet W surface. Numeral 50denotes a contact plate to the work sheet W surface connected movably upand down by means of a bearing 52, and numeral 53 denotes a ball whichrolls into contact with the work sheet W surface.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, in the compound machiningapparatus according to the present invention, the punch press and thelaser oscillator are provided on the separate frames, respectively, andtherefore, even when the thick plate is punched, a strong shock is nottransmitted to the laser oscillator. Furthermore, since the laser beammachining head as well as the laser beam guide tube are placed on thesame frame as that of the movable table device, cumbersome work such asfine adjustment when the laser optical system such as the laser beamguide tube, the laser beam machining head and the like are installed arenot at all necessary.

The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered inall respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than theforegoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning andrange of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embracedtherein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A compound machining apparatus comprising a punchpress, a laser oscillator having a long side and a movable table devicehaving a table movable in a first direction, characterized in that thepunch press and the movable table device are provided on separateframes, respectively, and the laser oscillator, a laser beam machininghead and a guide tube for guiding a laser beam from the laser oscillatorto the laser beam machining head are collectively placed on the sameframe as the frame of said movable table device, wherein the long sideof the laser oscillator is arranged substantially perpendicular to thefirst direction.
 2. The compound machining apparatus as claimed in claim1, wherein said movable table device movably supports a plate within aplane to bring a suitable position of the plate to a position of a punchmachining head and to that of a laser beam machining head, and iscomposed of two tables movable in a direction toward the punch press, afixed table between the two movable tables, a carriage moving integralwith the movable tables, and a work holder for holding a work sheetwhich is provided on the carriage and moving in a direction rectangularto the moving direction of the carriage.
 3. The compound machiningapparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said laser beam machining headand said punch machining head are arranged on the same line in one ofmoving directions of the work sheet.
 4. The compound machining apparatusas claimed in claim 1, wherein said laser oscillator is mounted to theframe of the movable table device by means of a plurality of shaftsprojectingly provided from the lower surface of the laser oscillatortoward vertical and downward portion, linear bearings provided on theframe and supporting movably.,up and down the shafts which are insertedthereinto, an air spring which is expanded by feed and discharge of airbetween the bottom surface of the laser oscillator and the frame, and afluid cylinder formed with a flange portion at the end of a rodextending through the frame and provided between the bottom surface ofthe laser oscillator and the frame.
 5. The compound machining apparatusas claimed in claim 4, wherein a flange portion is formed at the end ofsaid shaft so that when the flange portion and in upper surface of thelinear bearings are placed in close contact, the laser oscillatorassumes an accurate horizontal attitude.
 6. The compound machiningapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said laser beam machining headis mounted at the end portion of a laser frame extending from the framesupporting the laser oscillator toward the punch press and having theguide tube for guiding the laser beam, and comprises a vertical guidetub for vertically guiding a laser beam reflected by a mirror providedon the front end of the guide tube, a focusing device retaining a lensat the lower end of the vertical guide tube, and a supporting device forvertically movably supporting front portions of the focusing device,vertical guide tube and guide tube.
 7. The compound machining apparatusas claimed in claim 6, wherein a lens holder with a lens fitted thereinis threadedly mounted within a tapped hole which is formed in a blockhaving a nozzle at the lowermost end of the machining head so that thelens is cleaned and checked by removing the lens holder from the top ofthe block.
 8. A compound machining apparatus operable with a punchpress, a laser oscillator having a long side and a movable table devicehaving a table which is movable in a first direction, said apparatuscomprising:a first frame for supporting the punch press; and a secondframe, independent of said first frame, for supporting the laseroscillator and the movable table device, said second frame adapted tosupport the laser oscillator with the long side of the laser oscillatorarranged substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
 9. Acompound machining apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:alaser beam machining head supported by said second frame; a guide tubefor guiding a laser beam from the laser oscillator to the laser beammachining head, said guide tube being supported by said second frame.10. A compound machining apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein thelaser oscillator is provided within a casing having a long side and saidsecond frame is adapted to support the casing with the long side or thecasing arranged substantially perpendicular to the first direction. 11.A compound machining apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the laseroscillator is provided within a casing having a long side and saidsecond frame is adapted to support the casing with the long side of thecasing arranged substantially perpendicular to the first direction.